2015
SPONSORED CONTENT
CASE STUDIES OF EXCELLENCE
CONTACT INFO
SCOTT CULLATHER
[email protected]
212-334-3415
inVNT.com
CAMPAIGN: THE PURSUIT BY EQUINOX
CLIENT: EQUINOX
AGENCY: inVNT
E
quinox, the high-end fitness club whose motto is “It’s not
fitness, it’s life,” launched its new data-driven cycling class,
The Pursuit by Equinox (#EQXPursuit), at SXSW Interactive
2015, the prestigious Austin-based emerging technology
conference. Equinox’s mandate for inVNT’s activation of the
cycling class, which uses groundbreaking in-studio gaming and
data visualization to drive competition and peak performance,
was to “create an experience that brings to life the intersection
between technology, innovation and motivation, empowering
and enabling a high-performance lifestyle.” Equinox wanted
their first-ever experiential activation to “wow” visitors “in a way
that makes them rethink what fitness is all about,” reinforcing
Equinox as a holistic lifestyle brand that also successfully
integrates technology into its package.
Looking to the Equinox brand for inspiration, inVNT placed
the letter “O,” featured in Equinox’s logo, at the center of the
#EQXPursuit experience. inVNT’s design, housed within Smart
Company’s pavilion, took the form of an intimate 900-squarefoot, in-the-round environment structured to support both
the “Ride” and the “Tour” components of the activation.
Positioned in an arc surrounding the instructor’s central cycle,
the four “Ride” participants’ bikes faced a 20-foot-wide by
six-foot-high LCD screen that relayed real-time data as they
experienced a 9-minute live demo of the class. This data
enabled the cyclists to monitor their performances individually
and in competition with their classmates. The “Tour”
component allowed observers to engage with the live demo via
an interactive presentation,
guided by Equinox brand
ambassadors, on iPads linked
via Apple TV to LCD TVs
encircling the space.
Key to #EQXPursuit is the
sense of community created
by competition, a concept
beautifully reflected in
inVNT’s organic, cyclical
design. Maintaining a tight
timeline and budget, inVNT
embraced the challenge of scalability—retaining core ideas, an
innovative approach, and an impressive end-product—even
as the parameters shifted. Working with Fast Company’s
designated vendors under extremely fluid circumstances, inVNT
implemented an iconic, futuristic design that resonated with
Equinox’s core values—motivation, nutrition and technology—
while seamlessly cohering with the fitness club’s marketing
materials and standing out in a busy festival environment.
3,000 guests visited the Equinox space during the 5-day
activation. 100 riders experienced The Pursuit by Equinox
firsthand, riding 355 collective miles. Equinox contributed $12K
(one dollar for every mile pedaled) to Cycle for Survival. The
social-media conversation surrounding Equinox at SXSW more
than doubled from 2014: Featured in AdWeek and tweeted
by Drum, the #EQXPursuit debut was responsible for 1.6K
engagements via Twitter, producing 94K in earned reach.
Instagram engagements were up 54% from 2014, producing
an estimated 30.6K impressions. Total Equinox-related tweets
were up 111% from the previous year. Designated “Best Way to
Break a Sweat,” the activation was included in Best of SXSW
Experiential Marketing on PSFK.com.
Overjoyed with the results, Equinox senior executives have been
effusive: “Awesome recognition—congratulations to the entire
team! Thank you inVNT for being nimble and patient partners in
this,” and “for making the space look so gorgeous.”
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